The invasion has begun. K’Soth forces now strike deep within Commonwealth space seizing world after world and killing or enslaving all in their path.
Despite their brave attempt to defend New Colorado Station from the K’Soth attack, the Commonwealth Navy has been forced to retreat. As they regroup in the Niflheim system, Admiral Rylance formulates a plan to blunt the Imperial invasion by mounting an audacious defence. But first she must lure the enemy fleet into a trap.
Within New Colorado, the population are now forced to live in fear under the Imperial occupation where disobedience is punishable by death. Nevertheless there are those who are still willing to gamble everything upon a desperate plan of escape.
On Aurora, the secret home of the Shining Dawn, Captain Gates and Harry Constanzo await their fate at the hands of fanatics, whilst an uneasy peace exists between the human inhabitants and their new K’Soth overlords.
Deep within the Empire itself, Agents Steadman and Vado have fallen into the hands of a mysterious figure who has snatched them from the clutches of the Inquisition and certain death but who claims to be the sole surviving heir of the same Lord Goldfang who was executed for treachery on the orders of the Emperor. Meanwhile in a secret facility on the edges of the Polaris system Marcus Cuvier is still being interrogated by the Lady Blackscale. Having learned of his true nature she is now greatly intrigued as to why Cuvier knows so much about the mysterious ancient relics that the Empire has been studying.
As the Arkari still refuse to intervene, the fate of humanity hangs by a thread.
